In recent weeks I have written about several different tactical nuances that are worth keeping an eye on as Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic team takes shape and he starts to impose his ideas onto the style of play.

One game (at home to Ross County) is far too small a sample from which to draw conclusions, obviously. However, the opening league win at the weekend was a fun watch, and equally, it is interesting to signpost some of the tactical subtleties.

Defensive Line

I highlighted that under Ange Postecoglou the average line taken by the defenders had steadily pushed forwards over time.

Last season that was a high per the Statsbomb data at 48.72 metres from the Celtic goal.

There is no “right” answer here and many factors around team approach and style are important context. But in general, for Celtic, being possession dominant, and having the domestic opposition camped in for large moments of the game, a high line keeps the pressure on and makes it more difficult for them to break out.

In the Champions League, Celtic had tried to maintain a similar style of play and were on average 47.59 metres from their own goal - slightly deeper but within the top 8% of all Champions League sides for the aggressiveness of the defensive line.

Against Ross County that was 47.13, so a slight step backwards.

Context is vital and Celtic were accommodating a new central defender in Maik Nawrocki. Also, game state comes into the debate. Firstly, Ross County started the match uncharacteristically aggressive for an away Scottish team at Celtic Park. They not only pressed Celtic back high up the pitch but committed many players forward. Celtic did not muster a shot until 16 minutes passed and Ross County racked up five corners before that effort.

That admirable positivity from Malky Mackay’s side could not be sustained and Celtic stormed into a three-goal halftime lead.

In the second half there was much great control of the ball by the Champions. And in not having to chase the game, could afford to be less aggressive in their own defensive alignment.

So, nothing concrete “changed” in this regard and one to continue to monitor.

Pressing Intensity

Many are not expecting a drop off in pressing intensity between Postecoglou and Rodgers’s sides.

The Staggies “out-pressured” Celtic by 156 to 130 in this game. Celtic had 73% possession so this is probably not surprising and many of those pressure would have been in the initial part of the match.

Despite playing the full 90 minutes, it wasn’t Daizen Maeda who led the pressing efforts. Instead, Matt O’Riley led with 21 and David Turnbull next with 16. The same pair also led in counter pressures with seven and six respectively.

Celtic averaged 112 per match in Postecgolou’s last season which was less that in Neil Lennon’s two seasons. But Postecoglou’s side had significantly more possession (67% to 62%) and so that must be factored for.

Game state is also critical as once Celtic established such a dominant first-half lead, the need to press high and aggressively diminished for the second half. Celtic were happy to maintain quite passive possession and exploit quick breaks where possible.

Initially then, potentially even more pressures than we saw under the Australian.

Long Balls

Despite overpowering possession and averaging over 570 completed passes per match, Celtic attempted only 42 long balls per game last season, the lowest in the league.

Celtic racked up 759 completed passes against the Highlanders, especially in the second half where they took control over tiring opposition.

Of those, 61 were deemed long balls by stats provider FotMob and 46 were completed.

This may be less as a proportion of the total number of passes attempted but is a significantly high number of long balls for Celtic, historically.

This is a feature I wondered would become more prevalent under Rodgers. Not through any reduction to the mean by the manager to the SPFL stylistic norm, but because he sees how he thinks he can get the best out of a very quick and mobile from three.

There were hints of this in preseason, of hitting the forward players earlier and more directly.

Kyogo Furuhashi pulling out into the number ten position should also disrupt the opposition back line. We did not see this on Saturday through. Indeed, it was Furuhashi’s ability to link play that opened gaps.

But I think we’ll see more of this as the season progresses and especially against better opposition who want to push their defensive lines higher.

The prospect of signing Swedish internationalist Gustaf Lagerbielke is interesting in this regard as one of his super strengths is long-ball completion.

Summary

Amidst the emotion of flag day, and the surprise approach Ross County took to getting after Celtic early into the season opener, there were still some indications of small changes to the approach.

The way the game went with the Champions racing into a commanding halftime lead undoubtedly influenced the performance and therefore data.

Celtic will look to keep a high line and may even be pressing more aggressively than last season.

Most interestingly, look out for improved attacking patterns that seek to release Liel Abada and Daizen Maeda in behind defences with earlier, longer balls.

The transition of Furuhashi’s role was the most revolutionary step of the day, and one to explore more deeply another time.